


Learning Curve

by Wise_Ravenclaw



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, CAPTAIN SQUAD, College, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Godzilla - Freeform, Goodbyes, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, New Beginnings, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Overworking, Post-Canon, and they were ROOMMATES, team moms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-05-14 15:16:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19275943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wise_Ravenclaw/pseuds/Wise_Ravenclaw
Summary: The third years are off to college. Several captains end up at the same university. Somewhere else in Japan, five guys who could be considered their team's "team mom" in high school go to university together. Follow their four year long journeys to get their degrees. They'll learn valuable information for their fields as well as some things about their new teammates and/or friends.





	1. Daichi learns that Oikawa is bad with goodbyes

**Author's Note:**

> So this fic takes place the year after the Haikyuu! Which means the 3rd years are college freshmen, the 2nd years are now 3rd years, and the 1st years are now 2nd years. The point of view will be different in each chapter but I'll specify whose POV it is. I'll try to mention what everyone is majoring as soon as possible.

**Daichi’s POV:**

“This isn’t goodbye. We talked about this. We’ll Skype every weekend. Even though I’ll be in Tokyo and you’ll be in Miyagi, we can still keep in touch.” I state confidently. Asahi and Suga nod. Kiyoko already left for college. Suga is going to school in Miyagi. Asahi didn’t want to attend college so he got a job.

“My son, I’m so proud of you. I still can’t believe you’re going to school in Tokyo. Be safe, study hard, call me when you get to campus or when you get settled in…” my mother starts rambling.

“If you need anything, don’t be afraid to call us.” My dad says. I notice a train arriving behind my friends and family, not entirely ready to say goodbye.

“Well, looks like my train is here.” I awkwardly state. I adjust my backpack slightly before moving to Asahi and Suga, pulling them into a hug. “Thanks for making the past 3 years so amazing. I couldn’t ask for better teammates.”

After a moment, I hug each of my parents as well as my siblings. “I’ll miss you.” I get my bags, tell my siblings to stay out of trouble, and board the train.

“Quickly! It’s here!” I notice someone yell. Four people run towards the train. Two boys around my age a woman who looks a few years older, and a child. The woman and one of the boys have chocolate-brown hair, the other boy has really dark hair. They quickly exchange hugs before the boy with chocolate-brown hair hops on the train.

Once the train leaves and my friends and family are out of sight, I sit down and sigh. I can’t believe I’m going to college. I’m going to be an English major at the University of Tokyo, and I’m going to be in the honors program. Instead of living at home with my parents and two siblings, I am sharing a room with another guy my age, living on the same floor as a bunch of other guys my age. I won’t have class with Suga every day. And I’ll have a whole new team. I wonder what they’ll be like.

\----------------------------------------5 hours later\----------------------------------------

The train reached Tokyo some time ago and I’ve now reached the campus. I pause to rummage through my bag, pulling out a piece of paper with instructions of where to go. There’s a lot of people rushing around, eager to start their futures.

“Excuse me. Do you know where I can find West Hall?” I ask a guy with dark hair and bangs that make him look like he’s still in his emo phase.

“Yeah. I just came from there.” He says before pointing me in the right direction. I thank him and start the walk. After about 10 minutes, I reach the dorm.

Following the instructions on the sheet, I found the unloading area and got my things handled. After thanking the moving crew, I enter the building and head to the office to get the key to my room.

“Hi. I’m here to get my key. I’m Sawamura Daichi.”

The girl working looks through a stack of papers. “Do you have any ID?” I pull out my ID and hand it to her. She looks through the stack of papers, highlights something, returns the ID, and gives me a key. “You’re in room 10-08 and it looks like your roommate has already arrived.”

“Thank you.”

I start making the walk up the stairs because the moving instructions said we can’t use the elevators. I’m so glad that I played volleyball in high school and that it helped my stamina. After a few minutes, I reach the floor and head down the hall, greeting the few people I see.

Once I reach room 10-08 I stare at the door for a moment. There are two drawings of sneakers taped to the door. One has my name and the other has the name of my roommate: Oikawa Tooru. I knock to let him know that I’m here before using my key to open the door. My things are on one side of the room, Oikawa is on the other side, unpacking his things.

Oikawa turns around to greet me. “Sawamura, long time, no see. I still can’t believe we’re roommates. Are you still doing volleyball?” I nod. “I guess that means I’m your setter and you’re my spiker.”

“Yeah. I wonder what the rest of our team is like.” We both shrug and go to unpack our things. After I get my essential things unpacked, I let Oikawa know that I’m going to get my student ID and head to the student center.

\----------------------------------------40 minutes later\----------------------------------------

I returned to my dorm with a new form of identification, a Snickers bar, and determination to put up my decorations.

“I’m back. Hey, after we finish unpacking, do you wann- Oikawa, are you okay?” He’s stilling on his bed, holding a pile of pictures with tears down his face.

“I’m okay.” He claims, though the bloodshot eyes, shiny, wet eyelashes, and tear tracks don’t really convince me. “I just miss Iwa-chan. We’ve gone to school together for years and now he’s in Miyagi and I’m in Tokyo, and we won’t be able to get lunch together or do homework or play volleyball and I miss him.”

I walk over and offer him a hug, which he accepts. “Hey, hey. It’s okay.” I try to comfort him. “I have an idea. How about we take some deep breaths and you get some water and call Iwaizumi.” He nods and smiles a bit.

About 10 minutes later, he sets the stack of photos on his desk and takes out his phone, calling Iwaizumi. It rings a couple times before the former ace picks up.

“Hello? Tooru? How’s Tokyo?”

“It’s interesting. The city is beautiful and the view from the dorm is amazing, but I miss you. I should have stayed with you in Mi- “

“No. You’re going to University of Tokyo with a volleyball scholarship and you’re getting your degree. You have plans for your future and I have my plans. We both know that we’ll be in each other’s futures, but this path, with different universities is for a reason. We chose schools that we thought fit our needs and we’ll still keep in touch. Okay, Crappykawa?” Iwaizumi starts.

“You’re right, Iwa-chan.”

Note to self: Oikawa seems to either be bad with goodbyes, gets homesick easily, or some combination of both.

Additional note to self: If Oikawa is ever stressed, it helps to lay out the facts.

“So, how’s Miyagi?” Oikawa asks. “Got a cool roommate?”

“Shiratorizawa.”

“Huh?”

“He’s from Shiratorizawa.” For a moment, Oikawa seems to tense up and his eyes go wide with shock. Even I pause from unpacking after hearing the name of the powerhouse school we once faced. I can’t help but wonder who Iwaizumi’s roommate is. Maybe they weren’t a volleyball player, but maybe just a normal student at Shiratorizawa. Or if they played volleyball in high school, quit after graduating. All I know is that I’ve faced them once and I know which players I’d rather not face again if possible.


	2. Semi learns that Iwaizumi likes Godzilla

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiratorizawa-Seijoh rivalries? These two goobers should put the past behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Chapter one showed the first day of two former captains, now we get to see how two former "team moms" experience their first day of college. Or maybe I should say first few days. Later in the chapter when Semi is texting, the normal italicized lines are texts he's receiving and the bold italicized lines are texts he's sending.
> 
> Time frame: starts the same day that chapter 1 takes place in and continues through that weekend.

**Semi’s POV:**

_Knock. Knock. Knock._ I guess that’s my new roommate.

“No fucking way.” He says. “Mom, I change my mind about college, I’m going to Tokyo with Tooru.”

“What’s wrong, Hajime?” a woman, I’m assuming his mother asks.

“He’s from Shiratorizawa.” Iwaizumi claims, pointing his finger at me.

I stand up straight walk across the room, and bow, introducing myself to my new roommate and his family. “Nice to meet you, I’m Semi Eita.”

“Nice to see you again. I’m Iwaizumi Hajime.” He returns.

“You know each other?” His mom asks.

“We’ve played against each other a few times in high school.”

“My team beat his every time we played.” I contribute, with a small smirk. “I went to Shiratorizawa Academy. I was a setter. I hope to continue to be a setter in college.”

“It’ll be okay, Hajime.” His mother claims. “See? I’m sure you’ll get along well. You already have something in common. I wouldn’t be surprised if you guy aren’t good friends by your first visit home.”

“Yeah…” We both say. I return to my bag to keep unpacking.

His parents come in and help him set down his things. They unpack and eventually head out.

“So. You’re from Aoba Johsai and I’m from Shiratorizawa. We defeated you every time we played each other. I intend to continue volleyball. I’m not sure if you are, but if you are, drop the pettiness while we’re playing. I don’t care how you feel about me when we’re in the dorms or if we have any classes together, but if we’re both playing on the court, continuing volleyball, we need to set aside our differences while playing. Agreed?”

He scowls a bit, but nods.

\----------------------------------------A few hours later\----------------------------------------

I take a moment and glance at my phone to check the time. It’s only 8:38, but unpacking’s exhausting so I gather some pajamas and go to get changed. When I get back to my room I collapse into bed and close my eyes, intending to fall asleep.

\----------------------------------------??? later\----------------------------------------

I’m awoken by a phone ringing. Exhausted, I look out the window. The sky is dark, indicating that it’s still night.

“Oi, do you have any idea what time it is?” I grumble.

“It’s 9:09. I gotta take this call. Hello? Tooru? How’s Tokyo?”

 “No. You’re going to University of Tokyo with a volleyball scholarship and you’re getting your degree. You have plans for your future and I have my plans. We both know that we’ll be in each other’s futures, but this path, with different universities is for a reason. We chose schools that we thought fit our needs and we’ll still keep in touch. Okay, Crappykawa?” Iwaizumi starts. I slightly flinch at how cold his voice gets. I sit up, realizing I may not sleep for awhile and decide to continue the unpacking that I was saving for tomorrow.

“Shiratorizawa.” I look up, curious why he’s talking about my former school. “He’s from Shiratorizawa.” Oh. Guess we’re dealing with this again. I climb out of bed and go to my duffel bag. I decided to throw on my Shiratorizawa sweater and put a piece of folded fabric. I go to my desk to get some extra Command Strips and start putting them up on the wall next to my bed. When they’re set, I unfold my cloth, revealing a huge Shiratorizawa flag.

“Yeah. It’s ridiculous. Oi, what are you doing to the wall?” I turn around, noticing Iwaizumi set down his phone and is looking at me.

“I’m decorating.” I state as if it’s obvious. I turn around to continue hanging up my flag, not without noticing my roommate’s Aoba Johsai shirt and the way he rolled his eyes.

“I’m back. So, how’s your roommate? Hope he’s better school than mine is from. Sawamura? No way!”

\----------------------------------------86 minutes later\----------------------------------------

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Crappykawa. Have a relaxing evening.” Iwaizumi says before ending the call.

“Is that going to be an every day kind of thing?” I grumble.

He shakes his head. “Not as long as tonight’s call.”

“Are you going to talk shit about me in every phone call too?”

He shrugs. “We’ll figure that out depending on the day and how much you talk about Shiratorizawa.”

“Hey, let’s think about how much you bring up Shiratorizawa. Have you ever thought about that?” I rebuttal. “I’m just here to get my degree. I want to play volleyball and make as few enemies as possible, but I guess that isn’t happening because _somebody_ can’t move on from the past.”

He just stares at me and I stare at his Seijoh pennant, avoiding his eyes.

_Knock, knock, knock_

I move to get the door and pause for a moment when I see our RA on the other side of the threshold. “Hey, what’s up?”

“I’ve been visiting everyone to see how settling in is going, but it sounded like there was a bit of yelling. Is everything okay?”

We both nod and Iwaizumi makes his way over. “We’re getting along just great. Turns out we both played volleyball in high school.” I nod and throw on a fake smile.

“That’s awesome! I didn’t play, I was on the basketball team, but I had some friends in high school who did.”

“What school did you go to?”

“Johzenji!”

“Looks like from the decorations that you two also went to school in Miyagi?” I nod.

“Both schools have great teams. But remember, no matter what team rivalries there were in high school, don’t dwell on them. With volleyball, you need to connect.”

“Yep, receive, set, spike.” Iwaizumi states.

“Exactly! Receive the new opportunities, set yourself up for success, and spike your way to new beginnings! College is a great time for new beginnings.” Iwaizumi and I nod. “I just wanted to pop in and say hi, so I’ll be on my way. If either of you need anything, I’m right next door.”

We both thank our RA and he heads down the hall. Once I notice that he’s in his room and the door is closed, I close my door and turn to Iwaizumi. I look him in the eyes and state “Ok, if you’re going to be petty, be petty quietly. We live next to the RA and I don’t want to get in trouble because of you. Understand?” He nods. “I’m going to sleep. Good night.”

I climb into bed and close my eyes.

\----------------------------------------the next morning\----------------------------------------

I wake up and notice Iwaizumi isn’t here. Additionally, I have quite a few texts from one Tendou Satori.

**_ Obnoxious Weasley UwU: _ **

**_Heyyyyy Semisemi_ **

**_How’s college???_ **

**_Is the food better or worse than Shiratorizawa????_ **

At the mention of food, I realize that I haven’t had a chance to get anything to eat yet and that it’s already 10 in the morning. I sigh and hop out of bed, going to my closet and getting changed into a pair of sweatpants and I throw on a t-shirt with Godzilla on it before grabbing my room key, student ID, and phone. Making sure I have anything I need, I leave the room and head out to get breakfast.

_Haven’t had it yet. Heading there now. I’ll let you know how it is._

\----------------------------------------1 hour later\----------------------------------------

After my first college meal, I take out my phone and get back to Tendou.

_It sure was food_

**_But was it good????_ **

_Meh_

Once I reach my dorm, I unlock the door and enter. “Holy shit, what the fuck are you wearing?”

“Good morning to you too, Iwaizumi-san.”

“Fine, I’ll rephrase that. Good morning, Semi-san. What the fuck are you wearing?”

I look down at my shirt. “It’s my Godzilla shirt. You got a problem?” I stare at him and he hops out of bed and makes it very clear what he’s wearing: a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with Godzilla on it. “Oh hey, we’re wearing the same shirt.”

“Yeah no shit.”

After a minute of just staring at each other, we burst out laughing. When we finally catch our breath, Iwaizumi offers to binge watch the Godzilla movies and I accept his offer.

\----------------------------------------many hours and several Godzilla movies later\----------------------------------------

I feel someone gently nudging my side. “Semi-san?”

“Ugh”

“Semi-san? Are you awake?” I open my eyes and nod. “You dozed off for most of the movie. We should probably call it a night. Besides, quiet hours are soon and after yesterday’s encounter with our RA was enough for the time being.” I sit up and nod in agreement.

“What time is it?” I take note that it’s dark out and Iwaizumi checks his phone.

“9:38.”

“Thanks for waking me up, you can just call me Semi by the way.”

“And you can call me Iwaizumi if you want.” I nod before getting up to go brush my teeth.

About 20 minutes later, we’ve both brushed our teeth and changed into pajamas. Iwaizumi is in bed scrolling through his phone.

“Is it cool if I turn off the light?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks.” I turn it off and climb into bed. After I moment I decide to speak up. “Iwaizumi?”

“Hmmm?”

I can feel a smile forming on my face thinking back to this afternoon. “I had fun today.”

“Me too.”

“Does this mean we’re friends?” I ask hesitantly.

“I feel like it does.” I feel my smile grow. “Also, we can rewatch that last movie later on if you want since you slept through most of it.”

“Thanks Iwaizumi. That sounds nice. Good night.”

“Good night Semi.” I close my eyes and soon drift into a peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time we go back to the captains and I'm sure y'all will love the next chapter. Tendou's appearance was the first of many third years who aren't at either school but make cameos. I loved writing Semi and Iwaizumi's interactions this chapter and I like their Johzenji RA. Please let me know if I used any honorifics incorrectly and I'll correct it. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and have a nice day/night. 
> 
> I’m sorry but please don’t expect an update for probably around a month. My finger was bugging me when I wrote this chapter so I went to the doctor and I have trigger finger (turns out I have it in both pinkies) so I’m using a splint (got 3 week left on 1, 5 on the other). This makes typing a bit difficult and sometimes it’s just painful so I probably won’t get around to writing until I feel better though I have plenty of ideas. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. Ushijima learns to make new friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ushijima has his first practice and some familiar faces are now his teammates. How smoothly will practice go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place in Tokyo with the captains again. I am super excited to for this one. Time frame: a week and a half after the last chapter/in the middle of their first week of classes.

**Ushijima’s POV:**

I head to the gym. I check my phone for the time and it reads 5:50. Gives me a decent amount of time to start stretching and warming up before practice begins. As I warm up, people start coming in. Some looking lost and confused, others socializing.

At exactly 6, a tall guy with black messy hair, green eyes, and a friendly face speaks up. “Gather ‘round if you’re here for volleyball.” Not surprising at all, we all gather around and wait for him to speak up. “Hello everyone. I recognize a lot of you, but it also looks like we have some new faces. For our newcomers, I’m Nakamura Yuuki. I’m the captain of the volleyball club, so if you have any questions, you can come to me. I’m a middle blocker. I’m a senior and I’m majoring in mechanical engineering. Before we start playing volleyball, we should do introductions and start with our new players. Please include your name, your major, what year you’re in, whether or not you have past volleyball experience, what position or positions you’ve played if you have experience or what you’d like to be if you’re new to the sport, and an interesting fact about yourself.

“I’m Kuroo Tetsurou. I’m a freshman chemistry major. I have experience as a middle blocker and I’m a Ravenclaw.” The first newcomer, a tall guy with dark and wild hair states.

“Hey same.” A random teammate calls out.

“I’m Bokuto Koutarou. I have experience as a wing spiker. I’m a freshman majoring in biotechnology. An interesting fact about me is that I’m double jointed in both my thumbs.”

The next two people in line are familiar. “I’m Oikawa Tooru. I’m a freshman majoring in physics. I have past experience as a setter and I taught my nephew to play volleyball.” He flashes a grin afterwards.

“I’m Sawamura Daichi. I’m a freshman English major. I have past experience as a wing spiker and an interesting fact is that I have the prologue to Romeo and Juliet memorized.”

I’m up next. “I’m Ushijima Wakatoshi. I’m a freshman majoring in environmental engineering. I have past experience as a wing spiker and I’m left handed.”

“Ushiwaka?!” Oikawa asks. “This can’t be happening.”

The rest of the freshmen and upperclassmen go around and introduce themselves. After reaching the last person, who is the vice-captain, Nakamura speaks up again. “Now that we know who everyone is, we can play volleyball. Kenji, can you lead stretches?” Minami Kenji, the vice-captain starts leading stretches while Nakamura continues. “We will do a normal game: 6 vs 6 as well as a libero. Each set ends when a team gets 25 points and the first team to win 2 sets wins. This will mainly be to get a sense of how you freshmen connect and what your play styles are like. Team 1 will be Ushijima, Daichi, Bokuto, Oikawa, Kuroo, and Naruko. Since there are no new liberos, you guys can have Hanayama as well.” The libero makes his way towards up. He then chooses 7 players for the other side. Us 14 head to the court and everyone else heads to the sidelines.

\----------------------------------------1 hour later\----------------------------------------

Kuroo, Oikawa, and Bokuto jumped to block Minami’s spike, but he got past them. The ball slammed to the ground making the score 25-22, the upperclassmen winning the 2nd set and the game. We all stand on the court, trying to catch our breath when Nakamura speaks up. “Great job everybody. Now let’s discuss what happened.” Everybody heads to the sidelines to get water and start discussing. “Let’s start with the scores. The upperclassmen won both sets. Set 1 was 25 to 16 and set 2 was 25 to 22. You guys did a great job. Let’s start with the freshmen. You did significantly better in the 2nd set than the 1st. Do you know why?”

We’re all silent for a moment, reflecting when Kuroo raises his hand and answers. “It took us some time to adapt.”

“How so?”

“There were a few ways. I can’t speak for everyone on my side of the court, but we all came from different high schools. We’ve faced off on opposite sides of the net, but never played as teammates before. Meanwhile the upperclassmen have played together for at least a year. Additionally, we went in not knowing what to expect. I know that it definitely took me a few rallies to be able to block Minami-senpai.”

“Keep in mind that there may be times where you’ll face off against someone without knowing how they play, but you bring up some fair points. Did the rest of you feel like it took some time to connect with each other?” Nakamura turns to us and we nod. “Does anyone else have anything to add about what was difficult?”

I raise my hand. “I had some difficulty hitting Oikawa’s sets at times, but that’s something that I’ll work on.”

Nakamura nods. “I noticed you two had some difficulties connecting. Oikawa, did you feel like you had some troubles setting to Ushijima?”

“I haven’t had a teammate who spikes left-handed since I was in middle school.”

“I noticed towards the end of the second set, Oikawa seemed to be setting to Bokuto and Sawamura more often. If you two can figure out how to connect with each other, I’m sure you’ll both be even more powerful players. If you guys have nothing else to add for what felt difficult, I’ll let the upperclassmen say if they noticed anything that could be stronger.

A few upperclassmen brought up some things they noticed. Most weak points involved a lack of communication and connecting. Nakamura also brings up some things he noticed.

“Okay we talked about what could be improved. Now, what did you do that you feel worked well?”

“Bokuto and Oikawa seemed to work well together.” Sawamura points out.

“I feel like Bokuto was a strong spiker.” Oikawa adds.

“My spikes wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for your setting! And your serves were great!” Bokuto compliments back.

“Ushijima’s serves were impressive as well.” Kuroo contributes.

“As well as your blocks, Kuroo.” I respond. “Additionally, Sawamura’s receives were very reliable.” He gives a small smile.

The rest of practice is spent with everyone commenting on the practice match. Eventually, practice ends and people start saying goodbye to each other. Nakamura reminds us that our next practice is on Thursday at the same time and place as it was today.

Most people head back to their dorms or the dining hall. Oikawa stays behind to practice serves along with Minami. The upperclassmen start talking about their holiday break and the classes they’re currently taking. Kuroo and Bokuto head in the direction of the dorms. The growling of my stomach reminds me of the time and I decide to grab dinner before going back to my dorm. Sawamura seems to have the same idea as he walks alongside me.

“I can’t believe we’re on the same team.” He says, breaking the silence after a few minutes.

“It’s not too surprising. Bokuto, Oikawa, Kuroo, you, and I are all strong players. It would have surprised me if any of us quit volleyball after high school. I think the bigger surprise is that we’re all at the same school.” He nods in agreement.

“Would you like to sit together?” Sawamura asks me when we reach the dining hall.

“Sure. It could help us connect on the court if we get to know each other outside of practice.”

We both grab food and sit down, talking about our lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a quick update on my finger: So I went to the doctor at school around the end of May and she said it was trigger finger, which is basically an inflamed tendon and it happened in both pinkies. Last week I went to an actual hand doctor and it turns out it was not trigger finger. My fingers are just really flexible and the weird bending and the pain was from them like stretching too far. Point is, I no longer have to deal with an injury. Also, I managed to survive finals. IDK how, but I did. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It’s the beginning of Ushijima and Oikawa’s learn to get along arc, which I’m super excited for. Next chapter is going to focus on the team moms again. Hopefully it’ll be up soon! Thank you to everybody who left kudos so far! I really appreciate it! Feel free to leave a kudos or a comment if you enjoyed the chapter.


	4. Kai learns he has supportive friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai's first birthday away from home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally had this chapter going somewhere, but then I remembered the timeline of the fic and had to start over. But to be fair, I had no idea where this chapter was going to go at first and I have even less of a clue now.

**Kai’s POV:**

I open my eyes and check the time. It’s about 9 in the morning. I sit up for a moment and start to check my email on my phone. Yaku’s sitting at his desk, most likely doing some work.

“Morning Yaku.” I greet, sitting up.

“Good morning, Kai! Happy birthday!”

“Thanks, Yaku!”

 There are a few texts some of my former teammates. I’ll look at those after I check my school email. I have 4 new emails. Two from mailing lists at school, one from my dorm saying I have a package, and one from my coding professor chemistry professor.

_“Good morning class,_

_As I mentioned in class on Friday, I am at a science convention this weekend. Unfortunately, my travel plans got messed up, so I will not be back until Tuesday. Because of this, Monday’s class is cancelled. Be sure to take this time to study and don’t forget that the assignments posted online are due next Monday. I will see you all on Wednesday._

_From,_

_Professor Takekawa”_

I can’t help but smile a bit at the news. Since coding is my first class of the day, I can sleep in on Monday.

“Hey Yaku, guess what?”

“What?”

“Coding got cancelled!”

“That’s cool! That means that your day starts late, right?” I nod. “Then we should do something special to celebrate your birthday.”

“Sure!”

“I’ll text Sugawara.” Yaku says, pulling out his phone.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

“I’ll get it.” I get up and open the door. Sugawara is at the door, with his bag and a few balloons. “Suga, come on in!” He enters and takes off his shoes.

“Good morning, Kai. Good morning, Yaku. These are for you.” He says, handing me the balloons. “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks, Suga. How are you doing today?”

“I’m good. How’s your day so far?”

“Off to a good start. I’ve only been awake for about 20 minutes, but I got a package to pick up later today and my Monday morning class got cancelled.”

“That’s amazing!”

“I was actually about to text you.” Yaku says, turning his chair to face Suga and I. “Since he has all this extra time, we gotta do something to celebrate his birthday.”

“Got any ideas?” Suga asks Yaku and I.

I shrug and look at Yaku. “I’m okay with anything. I was going to video chat with Kuroo later in the afternoon, but otherwise I’m okay with doing anything.”

“It’s your birthday, Kai. What do you wanna do? We can go on a big adventure or do something fun or just stay in and eat cake if that’s what you want today.” He offers.

I think about the options. “Can we go bowling?” My friends smile and nod. Yaku briefly turns to his desk and starts typing.

“It looks like there’s a bowling alley on the other side of town.” He clicks the link to their website to find more information.

“Can we go after I get off the phone with Kuroo? My parents will probably also call today, but otherwise my evening should be open.” I ask.

“Sounds like a plan. Also think about food. Do you wanna eat at the bowling alley, or go out, or just eat at the dining hall? If one of the last two options, think about if you want to eat before or after bowling.” Suga says.

“I’ll think about it.”

\----------------------------------------5 hours later----------------------------------------

My phone buzzes on my desk so I pause my music and set down my textbook. I can’t help but smile when I notice I have a text from Kuroo. Then I pause, realizing I should probably change his contact name on my phone.

**_ Catptain :3: _ **

**_Happy birthday Kai!_ **

**_Now you can say you never learned to read lol_ **

_What up? I’m Kai, I’m 19, and I never fuckign learned how to read_

I can’t help but chuckle at Kuroo’s vine reference.

**_Skajfklajfaklsjfkla_ **

**_Nice one_ **

**_Anyways on a more serious note, something came up and I can’t video chat today. I’m really sorry about that and I’m sorry I can’t be there to celebrate your birthday with you._ **

_It’s okay_

**_Are you available to video chat tomorrow?_ **

_Yeah, I’m probably spending most of the day doing homework._

**_Same. Just name the time and I’ll video chat with you._ **

_Sure thing. I’ll see you then. Are you okay? You said you had to deal with something._

  ** _Yeah. There’s some volleyball stuff. You wouldn’t believe it. Ushijima Wakatoshi and Oikawa Tooru are on my team here but they don’t get along at all. It’s making things a bit difficult. We also have Sawamura. And Bo’s here too! ^_^_**

_That’s a great group of people. You know that Yaku’s with me here, but Sugawara from Karasuno is here too. He’s even in the same dorm building as us. We also have a couple more players from some powerhouse schools in the area_

**_That’s wild. Anyways, I’ll see you tomorrow. Happy birthday, Kai!_ **

_Thanks, Kuroo!_

 

I send Yaku and Suga a quick text saying that my and Kuroo’s plans fell through and suggest we leave for bowling at 6, and eating there. Yaku offers to kick Kuroo’s ass, but I tell him it’s okay, and that the two of us will talk tomorrow.

\----------------------------------------4 hours later----------------------------------------

Suga, Yaku, and I get out of the cab and pay the driver.

We look at the bowling alley and stare at the bright neon sign in awe for a moment before going in.

“Hi, welcome to Sendai Strikes Bowling. How many are in your party tonight?” The man at the counter welcomes us.

“Three of us.” Yaku says.

“Do you know what size you are?” We tell him our shoe size and he gives us the bowling shoes in exchange for our normal shoes. Yaku insists on paying. “You guys will be on aisle 6. There are balls of different weights near the aisles. You have two games. A server should be by soon with menus for food if you are interested in anything.”

We thank the man and head to aisle 6. After entering our names and selecting whether or not we want bumpers (we all do), a server comes by with menus for us. We order some sodas because we’re underaged. While she gets our drinks, we talk about food. We decide on some sliders and tater tots. We also got some dessert because why not.

\----------------------------------------1 hour later----------------------------------------

“Check this out.” Suga says, pausing as he enters a laughing fit. When he composes himself, he chucks the ball at the bumper, full force and it bounces back and forth between the two sides. After about a minute, the ball reaches the pins, knocking over 6 of them.”

\----------------------------------------1 hour later----------------------------------------

Yaku walks and rolls the ball down the aisle. It knocks over both remaining pins, giving him a spare. He gets one more chance and knocks over 8 of the pins, ending our second game. The screen lights up with the words “Kai wins!” and I make a victory pose. I beat Yaku by 12 points. The final scores were 97 to 126 to 133 with Suga in first and Yaku in last for the first game and 111 to 125 to 137 with me in Suga in last place, Yaku in second, and myself as the winner. When we finish, Suga insists on paying for our food and we head back to our dorm.

“So, what now? The night is young and it’s still your birthday. Anything else you wanna do?” Suga asks.

“Would you guys like to play Cards Against Humanity when we get back to the dorm?” I ask.

“Sounds like fun. Gives me a chance to make up for the lack of swearing I did last year because I didn’t want to corrupt Inuoka and Shibayama’s innocence.” Yaku says.

“What about your middle blocker? Lev? Isn’t he an innocent first year too?” Suga asks.

Yaku shrugs. “I tried, but he made way too many comments about my height.” Yaku responds. Suga nods and says it seems fair.

We get to the dorm and I pull the box of cards.

Suga starts smiling after drawing a card in the middle of the game. “Guys I found a card that describes me perfectly.” He claims, before showing Yaku and I a card that says “Homoerotic volleyball montage.”

“Same.” Yaku and I say at the same time.

We keep playing until we’re all struggling to stay awake. We stopped keeping track of scores and just focused on the cards. Sugawara was surprisingly good at the game and Yaku looked like a fish in water.

Yaku and I go to brush our teeth and then return to our dorm.

“Hey Yaku?” I ask, crawling into bed.

“Hmmm?”

“Thanks for making today so awesome. I really appreciate it.”

“It was no problem. I’m glad you enjoyed your day. Before I forget, I have a present for you.” He goes to his closet, pulls out a gift bag, and brings it over to me. I move the tissue paper aside and my jaw practically drops when I pull out the gift.

It’s a shirt designed to look like my old Nekoma volleyball jersey, complete with a number 2 on it. There’s also a Nekoma baseball cap, signed by everyone on the team last year.

“Yaku, I love it.” I get out of bed and pull him into a hug. “Thank you so much.”

“Eh, it wasn’t just me. Our kohai, and Kuroo signed it too. Plus coach Nekomata and coach Naoi.”

“What did I do to have such amazing friends?” I ask myself more than anyone else.

“You joined the volleyball club in our first year of high school, put up with Kuroo and I, and helped support our kohai when our senpai were jerks.”

“I try so hard to forget about our senpai.”

“At least our senpai here are nice.” I nod then pause, trying to suppress a yawn.

“I think I’m gonna head to bed now.”

“Yeah, same.”

He turns off the light and we both climb into our beds.

“Goodnight, Kai.”

“Goodnight, Yaku.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol I tried, I really did  
> I’m sorry if this chapter isn’t as good as my writing usually is. The writer’s block was strong with this chapter. I had to start over multiple times. I promise next chapter will be better. And since I know how it’s gonna go, it should be up soon. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you liked it, feel free to comment/leave a kudos. They motivate me. It’s almost midnight as I’m about to upload this and I’m not usually up this late, so I’m going to head to bed. Good night!


	5. Oikawa learns Ushijima isn't that bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa experiences his fair share of Murphy's Law.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG you guys, thank you so much for the kind comments on the last chapter. I’ll be honest, I struggled with it a lot and by the end I just wanted to be done but some of you really seemed to enjoy it. It made me so happy to wake up and see such nice comments. I’ve had so many ideas for this chapter for awhile so I’m glad to finally write it. Time frame: about a month after the last chapter.  
> Some warnings for this chapter: overworking, fainting, and hospitals

**Oikawa’s POV:**

This can’t be happening. “Sawamura, what the hell is Ushiwaka doing here?”

“Studying. We have a calculus quiz on Thursday that we’d like to pass. I suggest you study too.” Sawamura responds, setting down his textbook.

“Would you like to join us?” Ushijima offers.

I shake my head, releasing my grip from handle of my gym bag and walking to my desk. “I already made other plans.” I unpack my gym bag before heading to my desk. I put my calculus textbook in my backpack along with my notebook, laptop, and calculator. I grab my phone charger and start to leave again. “I’ll be back.” I say, exiting before either can respond.

I send Kuroo a quick text saying I’m on my way to his dorm and before I know it, I’m there. I use my ID to enter the building and wave when I see him and Bokuto. They sign me in and the three of us head to their dorm.

“You good? You seem tense.” Bokuto asks.

I nod, though it’s not exactly honest. I just can’t show the extent of my frustrations. “Can’t wait to be done with this calculus quiz.”

“You and me both.” Kuroo says, opening the door. “Feel free to sit anywhere.” He offers. I lie down on their bean bag chair.

\----------------------------------------20 minutes later----------------------------------------

“How do you derive number 15?” Bokuto asks. Kuroo leans his head on Bokuto’s shoulder and looks back and forth between their work and starts helping him.

“I can’t believe Ushiwaka is at our school.” I say to myself. Bokuto and Kuroo turn to look at me. Bokuto sets down his pencil.

“Yeah you two seemed to have a rivalry or something in high school?” Bokuto asks.

“Iwa-chan and I were supposed to beat him and go to nationals. Now how am I supposed to beat Ushiwaka if we’re on the same team?”

The two of them exchange a look. “I got this, Bo.” Kuroo speaks up after a moment. “You aren’t.” I start to object but Kuroo keeps talking. “Unfortunately, you and Iwaizumi are at different schools. You and Ushijima are at the same school, on the same team. You and Iwaizumi can’t defeat Ushijima to go to nationals now. You can’t defeat Ushijima to go to nationals. You two are on the same team and you need to work together. You two need a common goal. Something that motivates both of you to succeed. If you both want the same thing out of volleyball, you can work together to reach that goal. Or if you have a common thing you like, you can bond over that off the court and use that bond to have a stronger connection on the court. If you follow one thing I’ve said, you just need something in common.”

I stare at him. “That’s ridiculous, Tetsu-chan.”

“Dude’s got a point.” Bokuto speaks up. I roll my eyes. “Besides, getting along with all your teammates just makes volleyball even more fun.”

“Can we just get back to studying?” I ask.

“Sure, but we need to have a conversation about this at sooner or later.” Kuroo decides after a moment.

“Fine.”

“How’s Friday sound?”

“I don’t care.”

Kuroo goes to the other side of the room to get a stack of Post-it notes, comes back over to Bokuto and I, and writes “Discussion about teamwork after exams.” He then sticks the note on his fridge.

“Problem 16.” We all groan in frustration before continuing our work.

\----------------------------------------Wednesday----------------------------------------

“Hey Shittykawa, how’s your week going?” Iwaizumi asks on the phone.

“Oh my God, Iwa-chan, you wouldn’t believe my week. It’s been a nightmare.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Yes please. So, on Monday, we just got assigned so much work. Then yesterday I had volleyball practice, it was fun. Then I stayed a tiny bit later and when I got back to my dorm, you wouldn’t believe who was there!”

“Wait you were staying late? Shittykawa do I need to go to Tokyo and drag you away from the gym?”

“You’re missing the point Iwa-chan.”

“Fine, who was in your dorm when you came back?” He asks.

“Ushiwaka! I don’t know what I did to deserve this.”

“Wait why was Ushiwaka in your dorm?”

“He and Daichi were studying.”

“Oh yeah. Sawamura’s your roommate.”

“Yeah. And he befriended Ushiwaka.” I can feel Daichi’s stare even though he isn’t here.

“Has he done anything specific to make being on the same team so horrible?” I pause for a moment and Iwaizumi continues. “Because if he hasn’t done anything specific besides being from Shiratorizawa, maybe you should try to get to know him. He might not be that bad.”

I gasp. “Who are you and what have you done with Iwa-chan?”

“I’m just saying, my roommate is from Shiratorizawa and he’s not that bad. Maybe you just need to get to know him a bit. My roommate is pretty cool.”

“Iwa-chan, you don’t understand.”

“Then I’d like to try to. Can you explain it?”

I can feel my frustration building up. “I don’t have time. I need to go back to studying. Big exam tomorrow. I’ll talk to you later. Good night, Iwa-chan.”

“Wait.” Whatever Iwaizumi was about to say next gets cut off when I end the call. Since I’m here alone, I hold the nearest pillow up to my face and use it to muffle my screams. When I’ve regained my composure, I go to my desk and continue studying for calculus.

\----------------------------------------??? later----------------------------------------

“Oikawa? Buddy, you here?” My eyes flutter open and Daichi’s nudging my shoulder.

“Huh? What’s going on?”

“You must’ve fallen asleep studying, it’s almost 11. You should probably head to bed.”

“Are you my dad or something?” I ask, yawning at the end.

“No, but I know it’ll help you during the exam if you aren’t half asleep.”

“Just five more minutes.”

“Oikawa, you studied a lot already. You should rest. I’m holding you to that five minutes.”

“Ok Dadchi-chan.” I go back to studying and true to his word, Daichi tells me to go to sleep five minutes later. I brush my teeth, then return to our room. I place my textbook under my pillow and climb into bed, hoping I can have some dreams that’ll help me in the morning.

\----------------------------------------Thursday evening----------------------------------------

I scramble into the gym, unaware of the time but all I know is that I’m running late and run up to Nakamura. “Sorry I’m late, Nakamura-san.” I bow, apologizing.

“It’s okay Oikawa-kun. Practice doesn’t start for three minutes. Are you okay?” I nod.

“Yeah. I had met with my group for a group project after class, but I realized I left my volleyball stuff in my dorm and I had to go back to get it.”

“We’re glad we’re here.” Nakamura reassures, offering a warm smile. “Since we’re about to start in a couple minutes, you should start stretching.”

“Thank you, Nakamura-san.” I set down my bag on the bench before changing into my volleyball shoes and putting on my knee-pad and knee supporter. When I have my equipment ready to go, I join the other first years in stretching.

“Are you alright?” Daichi asks.

“Yeah. Hectic day.”

Daichi hums in agreement. “Can we all agree that calculus exam was brutal?”

“Yep.”

“Yeah.”

“Totally.”

“I’m gonna have nightmares about it for the next week.” Bokuto claims.

The exam wasn’t even the half of how hectic my day was.

We keep stretching until our coach, Hayashi gets everyone’s attention. “Okay. We’re going to do start with a spiking drill for a bit. We’ll have one setter on each court and our managers tossing the balls up to the setters. Liberos will be on the other side of the net, trying to receive the ball. Everybody else, divide yourselves evenly in two lines and spike the ball when it’s your turn. Switch lines after you go, so you can have time working with each setter.” We nod and I head onto the court.

Bokuto’s at the front of the line and we exchange a look. Shirofuku sends the ball up in the air and I set it. Bokuto runs up and uses all his force to slam it on the other side of the net. Hanayama dives to receive it, but doesn’t reach it in time. Bokuto and I high five before he goes to the other line.

Spikers and blockers keep rotating and soon enough, Ushiwaka is next in line.

_“I noticed you two had some difficulties connecting.”_

I remember what Nakamura said during the first practice.

_“Oikawa, did you feel like you had some troubles setting to Ushijima?”_

Shirofuku tosses the ball and Ushiwaka starts running.

_“I noticed you two had some difficulties connecting.”_

He jumps and I set the ball to him.

_“Oikawa, did you feel like you had some troubles setting to Ushijima?”_

He spikes it. Hanayama receives it, but it goes out of bounds. Ushiwaka and I stare at each other for a moment before he goes to the other line.

We keep going through line and soon enough, I set to Ushiwaka again.

_“I noticed you two had some difficulties connecting.”_

I realize I lost focus for a moment and he’s already up in the air.

_“Oikawa, did you feel like you had some troubles setting to Ushijima?”_

I set the ball up to him with extra force, so it’ll reach him in time and he sends it over the net where Hanayama receives it.

We continue the drill for another 15 minutes before it’s time for a water break.

“You good, dude?” Kuroo asks between sips on water.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. It just seemed like your setting to Ushijima seemed kinda…forced? Like the way you set to me and Bo and Daichi and even our upperclassmen seemed different than how you set to Ushijima.”

_“I noticed you two had some difficulties connecting. Oikawa, did you feel like you had some troubles setting to Ushijima?”_

“Everything’s okay, Tetsu-chan.”

\----------------------------------------after practice----------------------------------------

“Good job today, everybody. Have a nice weekend and be sure to study hard. I’ll see you all on Tuesday.” Coach Hayashi says. Most people decide to grab their bags and leave with friends, likely going to their dorms or to grab dinner. Daichi pauses next to me after he changes out of his volleyball gear.

“Bokuto, Kuroo, Shirofuku, and I are going to get dinner. You coming?”

I shake my head. “Gonna stay and practice serves for a bit longer. I don’t think.”

“Okay. Text us when you’re done and I’ll let you know if we’re still at the dining hall.”

“Thanks, Dadchi-chan.” He turns around to leave with Bokuto, Kuroo, and Shirofuku behind him. Soon enough, only one other person is here: _Ushiwaka_. I ignore him and move one of the carts of balls close to me.

I toss the ball up, take a few steps, jump, and hit the ball. I stop for a moment and smile to myself when I see it land on the other side. I grab another ball from the cart and do the same thing again, and again, and again.

I lost track of how many serves I’ve done and how many Ushiwaka did. I grab another ball and prepare to serve when I start to notice some the edges of my vision going black. I tighten my grip on the volleyball to try to ground myself, but the blackness keeps growing.

“Huh? Ushijima what are you doing?” I ask. “Wait why am I on the floor?”

“You passed out.”

“How long was I out?” I start to stand up then immediately decide that’s a bad idea when the darkness comes back.

“Are you okay?”

“Mhmm. Just got a bit dizzy again.” I set myself somewhere halfway between sitting and lying down.

“Take it slow, Oikawa.” He says and I nod. After a moment, I slide myself to the nearest wall and lean on it for support. Ushiwaka follows behind.

“So how long was I out?”

“40 seconds. Do you know what might have caused it?” I shrug. “Oikawa this is serious.”

“I know. Just- just give me a few minutes.”

“Sure thing.”

We sit next to each other in silence and he checks his phone. “Mind if I ask a couple of quick questions?” He speaks up after a moment.

“Depends.”

“What did you have for breakfast?”

I shake my head. “I had a calculus exam this morning and slept through my alarm, so I didn’t have time.”

“What about lunch?”

I pause, thinking about my day. “A granola bar between classes.”

“Have you been drinking water?”

“I drank some during the water breaks.”

“Hmm…” He goes to the bench and grabs something from his bag as well as my water bottle then returns and hands them to me. “See if these help.” He gives me my water bottle and a bag or Doritos.

“How do I know you didn’t poison the chips?”

“The bag’s sealed shut. Would it make you feel better if I ate one too?” I open the bag and hand it to him. He takes a Dorito and eats it, handing the bag back to me. “See? Now if I did poison the chips, which I didn’t, then I’m going to suffer just as much as you are.” After a moment I start eating the chips.

“How are you feeling?” He asks when I finish.

“Better.” I slowly stand up and start gathering stray balls.

“Wait a minute, Oikawa. You should go to the hospital, to make sure you don’t have a concussion or anything. I can take you there. If you sit down for a few minutes, I’ll quickly put the equipment away.”

 “Thanks, but I’m good.” This wouldn’t be my first time going to the hospital so I know how long the waiting process can be. I’d rather not spend it with Ushiwaka.

“I can’t force you to go, but if Sawamura knew, he’d probably suggest you go. Plus, if coach knew, he’d bench you until you have proof that you’re okay.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” I pull out my phone and text Daichi.

**_ Daichi: _ **

_Hey Daichi, theoretical question: let’s say I theoretically passed out earlier, but I feel better, what do I do?_ (￣▽￣*)ゞ

**_How long ago was it?_ **

_20-30 minutes?_

**_Wait until you don’t feel like passing out. Then be sure to get checked out by a doctor. In case you have a concussion._ **

**_Are you okay?_ **

_I’m fine Dadchi-chan_

_Also I can’t make it to dinner with you guys_ m(_ _)m

I frown at my phone. “So, what’d Sawamura say?”

I weigh my options. Do I admit he was right or not? Do I test my luck with the second part of what Ushiwaka said? “Fine. You win. I’ll go.”

“It’s not a competition. You’re my teammate and your well-being is important. Give me a couple minutes to put away the equipment, then we can go.”

Within ten minutes, he’s gathered the stray volleyballs, put them away, and we’re in a cab to the hospital.

We both spend the ride to the hospital on our phones. I send Daichi a quick text saying I won’t be able to meet up with him and the others for dinner.

When we arrive, we pay the cab driver then wait in line to talk to the receptionist.

“Next?” The nurse asks and I move up in line. “What brings you here this evening?”

“Um, I passed out at volleyball practice and my teammate wanted me to check to make sure I’m okay and that I don’t have a concussion or anything.” Ushiwaka nods when I finish.

“Can I get your name?” The nurse asks after writing down what I said.

“Oikawa Tooru.”

“I need you to fill these out.” She says, handing me a clipboard with some paperwork. “Bring them up when you’re finished and we’ll call for you as soon as we can.”

I thank her before going to take a seat and fill out the paperwork. Ushiwaka follows and takes a seat next to me. After about 15 minutes I bring back the paperwork and wait.

“This is so boring.” I say after about an hour and a half. “And a waste of time. I could be using this time to practice my serves or doing homework or studying.”

“You can’t do any of those things if you aren’t okay. Oikawa, I can tell you don’t really like me. What is the reason for that?”

His question catches me off guard. “Iwa-chan and I were determined to make it to nationals. In both middle school and high school. Six years we tried and time and time again you stopped us. You and the rest of your team stopped us so many times. It was our goal. Nations was and still is my dream. We spent so many nights, talking about how cool it would be to make it there together. We worked so hard, just to have our dreams crushed every time. And now we aren’t on the same team together and you’re here and ugh.”

I bury my face in my hands. “So, if I understand, it’s because of what schools we went to in the past and how our past games turned out?”

“That’s only part of it.”

“Because with that, we can still go to nationals, you can still go to nationals. We’re likely going to be on the same team for the next four years. We have four chances to go to nationals together.”

“But it won’t be the same without Iwa-chan.”

“I understand.” I look up at him. “It’s a new team and while our new teammates are talented, it’s not the same off the court. I miss Tendou’s rambling about anime when we’d walk to our dorms after practice. And how Yamagata would sometimes just barge into my dorm without warning. Reon and I would have late night conversations before important events. I miss how Semi and Tendou would bicker without it being hostile. Goshiki would ask me for advice with so many things both related and unrelated to volleyball. I miss Kawanishi would act like he doesn’t care but works hard when he thinks nobody would notice and Shirabu’s determination. They were wonderful teammates and I think back to high school, wishing for one more game with them or even just one more practice. It was over too soon.”

I can’t believe what Ushiwaka just told me. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Sometimes, it helps to know you’re not alone.”

“I miss my old team as well. We all lived relatively close to each other so we’d often walk home together after practices and people came over to hang out so often. Yahaba and Watari would often work on homework and Yahaba, he’d randomly ask for advice about anything and everything.” I smile thinking back to when we’d both be working on homework. We’d have a baking show playing in the background. “Anything you could think of: school, relationships, volleyball, the future. He asked so many questions about the future. I miss how Makki and Mattsun knew how to lighten the mood somebody was down. I even miss Kyouken-chan. I miss Kunimi-chan and Kindaichi-chan. They were on the same team is me in my last of middle school as well as middle school. And I miss Iwa-chan. I miss Iwa-chan so much. I miss how he was always by my side. We’d walk to practice together and home from practice together. He stood by my side when I had all my knee issues. We’d talk late at night when we should’ve been asleep but our thoughts were just racing too much. He could know exactly what I was thinking, even if I didn’t say it. And I miss everyone.”

“But we have a new team and new memories. And while they can’t replace our old teammates, we can have good times. We have Bokuto and Kuroo and all the chaos that comes with them being in the same room. We have Sawamura and his ability to see the potential in anyone. Shirofuku knows how to motivate the team. We may not have kohai who will ask us for advice yet, but we have our senpai and we can ask them for advice. Nakamura-san and Minami-san want everyone to succeed. And we have a really strong team. Maybe we can go to nationals together. Teammates?” he holds out his hand.

I deliberate. I know that if I want to make the national team one day, I have to be able to work with anyone, but this contradicts years of motivation.

_“Maybe you should try to get to know him. He might not be that bad.”_

I remember my phone call with Iwa-chan yesterday. I also remember who I hung up on him and start to feel guilty. Note to self: text Iwa-chan later, apologizing.

I shake Ushiwaka’s hand. “Teammates. Thanks for taking me here tonight.”

“It’s no problem. So out of curiosity, what made you choose physics as your major?”

“I just always loved space as a kid. What made you choose, it was environmental engineering, right?”

He nods. “I enjoy nature, and it’s an important part of everyone’s lives and I want to help protect it and with how technology is evolving, help technology evolve in a way that’ll also help the environment.”

“That’s really interesting.”

“Oikawa Tooru?” A nurse calls and I stand up.

“Good luck. I can hold onto your volleyball equipment if you want.” Ushiwaka offers.

“Sure. Hopefully it won’t take too long.” I follow the nurse to a room.

“It says here that you passed out. Can you tell me what happened?”

“I was at volleyball practice, then after practice I decided to stay late to work on some serves. One of my teammates stayed late too but we were just working on our own and not really acknowledging each other.” I pause trying to recall what happened. “I was feeling a bit stressed out all day. So, after serving for a little while, I started feeling a bit dizzy and then I opened my eyes and I was lying down on the floor.”

\----------------------------------------2 hours later----------------------------------------

The doctor says I can go so I return to the waiting room and find Ushiwaka. “How’d it go?” He asks after putting a book in his bag.

“I just passed out because I didn’t have enough to eat today and was a bit dehydrated. I’m okay. I don’t have a concussion.”

“That’s good. Are you ready to go back to the dorms?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

“Wait a minute. You haven’t had anything to eat since those chips earlier, have you?”

“No, but I was just gonna have a snack when I get back then go to sleep.”

“There’s a McDonalds down the street. Would you like to grab something from there? We can take it back to the dorms with us.”

“That sounds great.”

I send Daichi a quick text saying I’ll be back soon and we head to McDonalds.

\----------------------------------------30 minutes later----------------------------------------

“Thanks for today. You didn’t have to take me to the hospital, but you chose to and you didn’t have to stay, but you chose to. I appreciate it.”

“It was no problem. Try to get some rest.”

“Sure thing.” I say before entering my dorm building, while Ushiwaka goes to his.

I open the door and set down my bag before taking off my shoes.

“Bokuto? Shirofuku? Kuroo? What are you guys doing here? It’s nearly two in the morning.” I ask, confused because Bokuto’s at my desk, Daichi’s sitting in bed reading a book, and Bokuto and Shirofuku are sitting on the floor next to Daichi’s bed.

“Ushijima texted me while the four of us were at dinner saying that you passed out while practicing serves. They wanted to wait until you came back to make sure that you’re okay.”

“Yeah. I just didn’t have much to eat and I guess I didn’t drink enough water. I’m okay now. Besides, Ushiwaka and I went to McDonalds afterwards.” I put a Pokémon figure and card on my desk.

“Hold on. Did you two get Happy Meals without us?” Bokuto asks, shocked.

“Bokuto, they had a long day, and I know your day was long too because of that calculus exam, but your day didn’t end with a trip to the hospital. There’ll be more chances to get Happy Meals in the future.” Daichi says.

“Sorry Oikawa.” Bokuto says.

“Wait a minute! You said you and Ushiwaka went to McDonalds together. Does that mean…?” Kuroo trails off. “Does that mean you and Ushijima are getting along?”

“Yeah.” I sit down on my bed. “We talked earlier and we aren’t that different after all.”

“That’s awesome!” Kuroo says.

“Yeah.” I yawn. “Thanks for the concern. I appreciate it.”

“It’s no problem.” Daichi says. “We’re your friends and we care about you. We should probably all get some rest though, it’s pretty late. Is it okay if we continue this tomorrow?”

We all decide to hang out tomorrow evening and Daichi goes to sign Bokuto, Kuroo, and Shirofuku out.

“Good night, Oikawa.” Daichi says when he returns, climbing into his bed. I’m already ready for bed.

“Good night, Daichi.” I yawn out before drifting off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when my three (3) brain cells come together.   
> I really hope you liked this chapter. There were actually a couple other moments that I was planning to include (1. During the water break during practice, Kuroo trying to see if Hogwarts houses play a role in Oikawa not getting along with Ushijima 2. For the part where Oikawa fainted, I originally had the idea of it being just Oikawa and Ushijima there, then tried writing it with the team’s captain there, then with the vice-captain and captain there, then finally I settled on just Oikawa and Ushijima.)   
> I meant to have it up yesterday in time for Yaku’s birthday, but I’ve been busy and burnout sucks. Also, sorry this is so chapter’s so long, though I felt like each part fit (even if they didn’t directly play a role in Oikawa and Ushijima’s learn to get along arc).   
> Next chapter is back to the team moms.   
> Interesting story: a similar thing happened to me a couple years ago. I had passed out at work on a hot day, but everything was good and I got to have ice cream when I got back from the hospital, though I hated having to do so much waiting there.   
> Feel free to leave a comment/kudos if you’re enjoying this story. Next chapter will hopefully be up in the near future, but I also have finals soon.


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